Swinging door.



l P'atemed sept. 9,1902. H. MEYER. swmema Doon?.

(Application tiled Apr.. 3, 1902.)

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Patented Se t. H. MEYER. P 9, |902. SWINGING 000B, (Application med Apr. a, 190s.)

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UNITED STATES yArnNT Grri'cn.

HENRY MEYER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SWINGING DOOR.

PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,966, dated September 9, 1902.

Y Application led April 3,1902. Serial No. 101,217. (No model.)

`pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure lis anelevation of a door, parts being broken away to show my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a Vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. ai is an enlarged sectional elevation of the upper end of one side of the door. Fig.

v 5 is an enlarged detail elevation of the parts l frame.

confined in the main chamber, the hinge-bars beingintheir disengaged position or retracted from the frame. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing hinge-bars in engagement with the Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on line 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 4, but showing the lower end 'of the door. Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 9 9 of Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on line 10 10 of Fig. 4., showing the hinge-lugs. Fig. ll is a vertical section on line 11 l1 of Fig. 5. Fig. 12 is atop plan of the casing containing the closing-spring, and Fig. 13is a vertical section online 13 13 of Fig. 12.

The object of my invention is to provide a door withhinges which will permit the former -to swing about either vertical edge thereof as an axis, according as occasion for such a necessity may arise. Y

A further object is to provide sucha doo f with means for locking the same when necessary, such lock directly coperating with the new hinge constituting a part of the present invention.

The improvement possesses further and other advantages better apparent from a detailed description thereof, which is as follows:

Referringito the drawings, D represents the door, and F the frame or jamb, within which the same is hung. Formed in the frame in alinement with the opposite vertical edges of the door are sockets S for the reception of the outer ends ot' the retractable hinge-bars 1 l, which are disposed in the longitudinal grooves 2, formed in the door. The inner adjacent ends of the bars 1 are deflected inwardly at l', said deected por tions being confined in a chamber 3, formed below the center of each longitudinal edge'of the door. The portions 1 terminate each in a transversely-disposed `handle-bar 4, project ing beyond each face of the door and operatingin slots 5, formed in the walls of the cham ber 3. The hinge-bars 1 l are normally forced into engagement with the sockets S by the eX- pansive action of acoiled spring 6, connecting the handle-bars of each pair of hinge-bars, the retraction ofthe latter from their sockets beingaccomplished by the compression of said spring, which in practice is done by gripping the adjacent handle-bars between the thumb and fingers and drawing them together, thereby compressingfthe spring. The retraction of the hinge-bars from their sockets on one side of the door .leaves thelatter free to swing about the hinge-bars remaining in engagement on the opposite side or edge of the door.

posite ends of the springs .being coupled to the front wall of the chamber 3. (See Figs. G, 7.) The baseof the yoke 7 is provided with a stein 7', guided in a bracket 9, the end of the stem being provided with a pin 10, operating in a slot 11 at one end .of a pivoted link 12, whose opposite end is provided with a similar slot 11', engaged by a pin 13, carried by a latch 14, guided in brackets l5 15 on the inner wall of the chamber 3. Theouter projecting eud of the latch is beveled and rounded ed, as seen at 14.', whereby as the door closes the latch is automatically forced inward by striking a similarly-rounded plate 16, carried by the door jamb or frame F. From the connections described it is apparent that as the springs S force the yoke 7 inwardly to embrace the handle-bars l in their compressed position the link 12 will be swung to the position shown in Fig. 5 and the latch 14 forced outwardly. Of course the moment the door is closed the latch 14c will be forced inwardly by the jamb, restoring the parts to their normal position, freeing the yoke from engagement with the handle-bars, and permitting the spring 6 to force the hinge-bars back into their sockets. Each vertical edge of the door is provided with a pair of hingelugs 17, engaging suitable metallic bearings 18, said lugs serving to sustain the greater portion of the weight of the door while the latter is swinging about the aXis adjacentto the lugs.

When it is desirable to lock the door permanently and prevent the compression of the handle-bars necessary to effect a retraction of the hinge-bars from their sockets, I provide the door with an ordinary locking-bolt 19, operated by a key through the keyhole 20, the key forcing the headof the bolt between the handle-bars and preventing their being drawn together, as is obvious. (See dotted position of the bolt in Fig. 6.)

It was stated above that upon the closing of the door the latch 14 in striking the jamb forces the yoke out of engagement with the handle-bars; but to insure this position one of the han dle-bars is provided with a depending arm 21, which engages the yoke, only releasing the latterfor purposes of gripping the handle-bars when the latter have been forced together by the operator. In other words, the arm 21 holds the yoke perfectly in check until such' time as the handle-bars are compressed to their full extent. Though the outer ends of the hinge-bars were referred to as being received by sockets S, formed at the top and bottom of the door-frame, the lower sockets (which for the sake of distinction are lettered Si) are in reality formed in the central stud 22 of the sectional casing C, set in the iioor. Rotatable freely on top of the stud 22 is a circular disk 23, having a central opening for the free passage of the hinge-bar, the latter having disposed thereon a circle of teeth 24, adapted Vto enter corresponding notches 25, formed in the disk about said opening. Housed within the casing C and having one end secured to the stud 22 and the opposite end to an arm 23' of the disk 23 is a coiled spring 26. It will be apparent that as the outer ends of the hinge-bars engage their respective sockets (one pair being of course constantly in engagement) and as the door is being swung open the teeth 24E will rotate the disk 23, winding up the spring, the latter automatically closing the door when the same is released. The casing C, therefore, with its spring and disk serve as a closing device for the door, causing the latter to close automatically when released. Interposed .between the disk 23 and the verticalbounding walls of the casing is an annular ring 27, having a peripheral flange or rib 28, loosely operating in a circular groove of the casing, said ring havinga depending lug 29, adapted to engage the arm 23. The outer face of the ring 27 is provided with sockets or openings 30 for the reception of the arms of a key, (not shown,)

by which the ring can be rotated for purposes of tightening the spring 26 when the latter becomes weak. When the necessary rotation has been imparted to the ring to effect the desired tension in the spring, it is locked by a screw 31, inserted into one of a series of openings 32, formed in the casing. A quarterturn will generally be sufficient to impart the necessary tension to the spring, and it is of course obvious from the relation of the parts that a turn of the ring 27 to the right, Fig. 12, will tighten the spring, being that the lug 29 will carry the arm 23 with it.

To better guide the hinge-bars in the reciprocations, I provide the edges of the door with plates 33, which span the grooves 2, in which the bars are confined.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that either pair of bars 1 l may serve as hinge-bars and that the door may be swung open from either vertical edge as a hinge-axis. (See Fig. 3.) Thedesirabilityforsuchanarrangement is obvious, as circumstances often arise where a door has to be removed to allow an object to pass from one room to another. With my improvement, however, the necessity for such removal can often be obviated. I do not wish to be limited to the details herein shown, as these may be departed from in a measure without affecting either the nature or spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with a door, suitable hinge-bars carried in the line of the swinging axis of the door, and a door-closing device in cooperative connection with one of the bars, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a door, a pair of hinge-bars carried at either edge of the door, the outer ends of the bars being adapted to be received by sockets formed in the doorframe, a chamber located along the edge of the door, the adjacent -or inner ends of the bars having inwardly-deflected portions confined within said chamber,transverse handle-bars at the ends of said deflected portions, suitable slots being formed in the opposite walls of the chamber for the free projection of said handle-bars, a spring coupled to the handle-bars for normally forcing them apart, a spring-actuated yoke for embracing the handle-bars when forced together, a latch projecting from the chamber and adapted to yimpinge against the jamb, and intermediate connections between the latch and yoke for disengaging the latter from the handle-bars upon the movement of the latch in the striking of the jamb, substantially as set forth.

3. In a swinging door having movable hinge-bars, a suitable easing, a stud forming IOO part of the same, a rotatable disk mounted in the stud, means for effecting engagement between the disk and one of the hinge-bars, a spring having one end secured to the stud and the other to the disk, and means for tightening said spring, substantially as set forth.

4. In a swinging door, a hinge-bar, a casing, a stud located at the center thereof, a rotatable disk mounted on the stud, a series of notches being formed in the disk7 a series of lreeth carried by the hinge-bar for engaging said notches, and a spring confined Within the casing and having one end secured to the stud and the other to the disk, substantially as set forth.

5. In a door having suitable reciprocating hinge-bars, suitable hinge-lugs located in the CD g) path of the bars, and bearings in the doorjamb for the reception of the lugs, substantially as set forth.

6. In a swinging door, suitable hinge-bars, sockets formed in the door-frame for the reception of the outer ends of the bars, means carried by the door for retracting said bars, devices for automatically retaining the bars in their retracted position, and a latch for disconnecting the device which automatically retains the hinge-bars in their retracted position, substantially as set forth. l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY MEYER. Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, ROSA Ross. 

